CHFA | Psychology Department Showcase: Projects In-Progress
Is College Missing the Mark: Students' Perceptions of College-to-Career Readiness
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Psychology and Criminal Justice
Minor
n/a
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Jana Hackathorn
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
College tuition cost raises around three percent every year, yet enrollment
rates keep declining annually (Hanson, 2023). A recent poll indicated that nearly 40 percent of individuals believe college is no longer worth the price tag (University of Chicago, 2022). Some individuals even question whether college is preparing students for a successful future at all (Willingham, 2023). Despite those perceptions, college graduates find themselves with more transferrable workforce skills and tend to have higher lifetime wages with lower unemployment rates than their non-college counterparts (SSA, 2015). Due to this discrepancy in perceptions, the current study intended to expand on this by assessing whether or not students feel they are being prepared for success in their desired future career. Data was collected from current Murray State students via an online survey, measuring career preparedness (Betz et. al, 1996) (DiBendetto et. al, 2020) and self-efficacy (Sherer et. al, 1982). This study asks the following research questions: Do students at MSU feel prepared for their future careers? How does MSU compare to other universities in this regard? Is there a correlation between perceived preparedness and self-efficacy and grade point average?
Data collection is currently ongoing for students at other universities.
Keywords: college, career preparedness, perceptions, students
Fall Scholars Week 2023 Event
Psychology: Projects In-Progress
Is College Missing the Mark: Students' Perceptions of College-to-Career Readiness
College tuition cost raises around three percent every year, yet enrollment
rates keep declining annually (Hanson, 2023). A recent poll indicated that nearly 40 percent of individuals believe college is no longer worth the price tag (University of Chicago, 2022). Some individuals even question whether college is preparing students for a successful future at all (Willingham, 2023). Despite those perceptions, college graduates find themselves with more transferrable workforce skills and tend to have higher lifetime wages with lower unemployment rates than their non-college counterparts (SSA, 2015). Due to this discrepancy in perceptions, the current study intended to expand on this by assessing whether or not students feel they are being prepared for success in their desired future career. Data was collected from current Murray State students via an online survey, measuring career preparedness (Betz et. al, 1996) (DiBendetto et. al, 2020) and self-efficacy (Sherer et. al, 1982). This study asks the following research questions: Do students at MSU feel prepared for their future careers? How does MSU compare to other universities in this regard? Is there a correlation between perceived preparedness and self-efficacy and grade point average?
Data collection is currently ongoing for students at other universities.
Keywords: college, career preparedness, perceptions, students